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, M. SAMELSON.

INTERIOR 0R EXTERIOR DECORATION.

No. 494,724. Patented Apr. 4, 1893.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MOSES SAMELSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR DECORATION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 494,724, dated April 4, 1893.

' Application filed $eptember 29, 1892. Serial N 0. 447,346. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MOSES SAMELSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Interior or Exterior Decorations, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to improvements in decoration and finish for the walls, partitions and ceilings of buildings and other structures. The reason of the present systems employed for decorating and finishing walls, partitions and ceilings being unsatisfactory is because they are all designed for the rigid attachment of the decoration or finish to the walls, partitions and ceilings or to the frame work or studding, beams, &c., whereby any movement of such walls or frame work caused by expansion, contraction or settlement is communicated direct to such decoration or finish and the obvious result is that ugly fissures, cracks, and breakages appear on the elaborate decorative work or fine finish which may have cost a great deal of money and labor to produce.

The object of my invention is to provide a means of ornamenting or finishing walls, partitions and ceilings whereby such ornamentation or finish may be applied as soon as the buildings are erected, or at any time thereafter without the slightest danger of its cracking or becoming otherwise injured through contraction, expansion, or settlement, which are so liable to injure all other forms of decoration or wall partition and ceiling finish now in use.

My invention provides furthermore, for fire proofing the walls, partitions and ceilings to which it is applied, no inflammable materials being required in its erection, and it provides for the dry decoration at the buildings of all such work.

With these ends in View my invention consists in forming decorative or plain sections or blocks of any size and shape out of any suitable substance (preferably fire proof), such as mortar, plaster of paris, or cement, molded into suitable metallic frames which are constructed as will be more fully hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawings in which like letters of reference indicate similar parts in the different views, Figure 1 is a plan View of one form of my improved hangers to which are attached the decorative or fire proof sections. Fig. 2 is avertical horizontal sectional view taken on lines 1-1 and 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of the hanger looking in the direction of the arrow Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a front elevation of the studding to which is attached a series of hangers having two courses of decorative or fire proof sections attached thereto. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a button secured to a corrugated strip which is cast in the cement for attaching the section to the hanger. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a portion of the ceiling showing the manner of securing the hangers to the sleepers and also the looking or finishing plate. Fig; 7 is a detail side elevation of one form of button having a spiral spring for supporting the section of ceiling. Fig. 8 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of two sections of decorative or fire proof wall showing more clearly the concave and convex meeting edges. Fig. 9 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 10 is a central vertical section taken through a section of my improved fire proof wall, showing clearly the manner of attaching the corrugated strip to the metallic frame and also the way in which the plaster, cement or other fire proof substance conforms itself to the shape of thesaid frame. Fig. 11 is a piece of sheet metal having an opening stamped out, and which is adapted to be turned up at the dotted lines in constructing another form of my hanger. Fig. 12 is a plan View of the hanger after it has been turned up into shape. Fig. 13 is an end view of the same. Fig. 14 shows a sectional edge view of two the proof sections with ordinary tongue and groove meeting faces. Fig. 15 shows a similar View with V shaped meeting faces. Fig. 16 shows a partly sectional view of the beams and floors defining clearly the hangers and springs for supporting the sections of fire proof ceiling, and, Fig. 17 shows side elevation of a button having a modified form of flexible shank for supporting the ceiling sections. Fig. 18 is an inverted plan View of a section or block showing grooves for receiving wedges. Fig. 19 is a perspective view of a wedge. Fig. 20 is a side elevation showing a portion of Wall with -tion.

section secured thereto and wedge in posi- Fig. 21 is an inverted plan View of a section or block showing plug holes. Fig. 22 is a transverse sectional view of Fig. 21, taken on line so as, and, Fig. 28 is an edge View of the button with flexible shank shown in Fig. 17.

I will now proceed to describe my improved hangers and the manner of applying them to the studding or brick seams of the sides of the room and the beams or brick seams of the floor above to form the walls and ceiling.

The form shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, l, 6, and 16 consists of a hanger A of any suitable metal provided with a longitudinal slot a adapted to receive the head of a metallic button 13 which button is for supporting the sections or blocks of decorative or fire proof substance C. In the ends of said casting A are formed square openings or apertures I) through which a nail or screw is inserted and driven into the studding or beams or into the seams of the walls. The nail or screw before being driven into the studding, beams, or wall seams is inserted through a hole 13' in a flat strip or piece of metal D, which is provided for the purpose of preventing such nail or screw from passing all the way through the openings 1). As will be seen these openings or apertures are considerably larger than the heads of the nails or screws employed, the purpose of which will be more fully hereinafter described.

Another form of hanger is shown in Figs. 11, 12, and 13, the hangers here being stamped out of sheet metal, and turned up at the dotted lines (1 forming the necessary flanges for hold ing the buttons of the decorative or fire proof block or section.

The form of supporting buttons which I may use for hanging the ceiling, decorative or fire proof blocks or sections is shown clearly in Figs. 7 and 16. The stem of the button which is secured in said block or section is in the form of a spiral spring such spring being of sufficient strength to support the said block and section and at the same time possessing the required amount of elasticity or resiliency to allow of any sagging and vibration of the beams without any corresponding movement being communicated to the said sections.

The form of button which I prefer to use for the wall sections is provided with a straight stem or shank and this as well as the spiral spring stem used with the ceiling sections I secure to the respective sections in the following manuer: The stems or shanks of these buttons are secured at their points to a corrugated strip or piece of metal 6 having holes f, and in turn said corrugated strip or piece is preferably soldered to the inner edges of a,

metallic frame g as at h. Into this frame is run the cement, plaster of paris, or other decorative or fire proof substance in a liquid state thereby filling up the frame, and binding closely around the corrugated strip and through the holes f. It is obvious that I may also place other strips of metal or other material crosswise in the frame 9 for the purpose of strengthening the hold of the cement, &c., in carrying out myinvention.

The edges of theframe g are either formed straight, concave or convex, tongued and grooved or are formed V shape or otherwise adapted so that one section will fit into another to form a neat and clean joint. The joint may be made invisible if desired by water marking with the milk of plaster of paris or cement or the material used.

The object of forming the openings or apertures in the hangers A so much larger than the heads of the nails or screws is to allow any settling of the walls or studding or sagging of the beams, or lateral movement of either to occur without its being communicated to the decoration or the walls or ceilings, thus preventing any cracking or damage to the decoration which heretofore has always resulted, especially in new buildings or other structures. It will be seen that in securing the hangers A to the studding or brick seams for the side walls the nails or screws are placed at or near the top of the openings or apertures b, which allows said wall or studding to settle to as great an extent as is likely to occurin practical use Without interfering with the decoration on the walls, or cracking or injuring them in any way. In securing the hangers t0 the beams or brick seams of ceilings I prefer to place the nails or screws directly in the center of said opening or apertures 12 which will allow of lateral movement in any direction without cracking or injury to the ceiling in any way.

Another form of flexible shank for the buttons used in suspending the ceiling sections or blocks to the beams is that shown in Fig. 17, where said shank is seen to consist of two parts i andj pivoted together by pin 70, and adapted to close toward each other in the manner of a hinge by the action of any sagging of the beams. In practice I prefer this form of shank on account of its being more easily adjusted in setting up the ceiling.

Before proceeding further I wish it clearly understood that I do not limit myself to any particular shape in which to make the fire proof or decorative sections as their shape in the case of decorative Work will probably depend entirely upon the design of the decoration employed. It will be observed that in putting up a ceiling after the walls have been finished it is necessary by my system to have what I please to term a finishing block or section, as there would be one block or section which could not be adjusted in the manner already described. This finishing orlast section I adapt to fit in by securing two or more catches or spring bolts Z similar to what are known as cupboard catches, to the under side of said finishing block or section. After all the other blocks or sections are in place the finishing block or section is placed in position and pushed inward, when the bolts of said catches will look over the rear edges of I CC.

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the adjoining blocks or sections and-hold said finishing block or section firmly in its position.

In order that the decorative sections before referred to may not be split or injured by driving nails or screws into them to secure molding, base boards, trimming, &c., in place I provide the holem which as will be seen tapers outwardly, and plugs n adapted to fill said openings and to hear at one end against the wall or studding. It is intended that all nails or screws shall be driven into these plugs whereby it is very evident that the effect of the outward tapering of the hole and plug in connection with the driven nail or screw will be to prevent the driven nail or screw from splitting the section or block, the action of driving the nails or screws into the plugs tending to force said plugs out at the larger end of the holes, until the ends of the plugs come in contact with the wall, partition, or studding. The continued driving action upon the nails or screws will then cause the wedges to be drawn more tightly within the holes. It is obvious that these plugged holes may be formed in the sections or plates wherever they will be required for driving nails or screws into the walls or partitions, it being my intention to have all such details arranged when the design for decorating certain walls or partitions is being constructed. The different sections or blocks may be suitably numbered or marked toinsurethose having the plugged holes being set up in their proper places.

Another important detail of my invention is the means which I employ for preventing the series of sections forming the decoration or plain finish from having any tendency to give inwardly upon pressure being applied such as that which would be caused bya person leaning against the wall. The device employed is shown in Figs. 18, 19, and and consists of the groove -0 formed in the rear side of the section, the wedge 19 with tongue q being adapted to slide into said groove and to form a connection between the section and the wall or studding, thereby furnishing the section with ample power of resistance from outer pressure.

Having now described my invention, I declare that what I claim is- 1. A new system of forming decorative or plain finish for walls, partitions and ceilings of buildings, comprising sections or blocks each provided with a button attachment on its reverse side, together with hangers having a slot to receive the said button for supporting the sections or blocks in position, the said hangers being provided with one or more apertures through which nails or screws can be passed, and a washer covering the aperture to hold the nail or screw in engagement with the hanger, the aperture in the hanger hav-,

ing sufficient area for the nail or screw to travel freely therein on occasion of the movement of the walls, partitions, or ceilings causedby contraction, expansion, or settlement,sub-

like section,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4.. A section or block for walls, partitions, and ceilings, consisting of a frame containing cement or other like substance and having a button attachment on one side to engage with,

the hanger, fastened where desired on the walls,partitions, or ceilings in the seams, studding or beams, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A section or block for walls, and partitions consisting of a frame containing cement or other like substance provided with a button attachment on one side to engage with the hanger on the walls, partitions or studding, said button provided with a shank by which it is secured to the section or block, the point of said shank being embedded in the cement or other like substance, and having a stripsecured thereto at right angles to secure it to the section or block, substantially as described and shown.

6. Asection or block for ceilings with a button attachment on one side for attachment to the beams, said button provided with a flexible shank by which it is secured to the section or block, the point of said flexible shank having a strip secured thereto at right angles, as and for the purpose described.

7. A button attachment having'a flexible shank, for securing ceiling sections or blocks I to the beams or brick seams, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. The combination with sections or blocks for walls, partitions, and ceilings of buildings, of a hanger provided with a longitudinal slot to receive the button attachment of the sections or blocks to support same, said hanger having one or more openings through which screws or nails are passed to secure same to the studding, beams, or brick seams, the said openings being sufficiently large to permit free vertical movement of the screws or nails on the studding and seams or lateral movement of those on the beams without affecting the position of the hangers, substantially as shown and described.

9. A locking section or block forwall, partition and ceiling decoration or plain finish, said block bein'gprovided with spring catches on its edgesenabling itto be held in position when pushed into its opening, substantially as set forth.

10. A section or block for wall and partition decoration or plain finish, said block having tapering holes 77%, together with plugs 01 adapted to fit in said holes, substantially as and for the purpose described.

1 1. A section or block for walland partition I decoration or plain finish, said block having grooves 0 together with wedges phaving the tongue q the tongue of said wedge adapted to slide into the groove ofto efiect a contact between the section and the wall or studding,

substantiallyas and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I'claim the foregoingl have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of September, 1892.

MOSES SAMELSON. iVitnesses;

MARK M. DECKER, E. E. MEARES. 

